PORT GIBSON — James Gray Jr. died Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. He was 70.

Mr. Gray was a member of the Claiborne County and State of Mississippi election commissions. After 25 years of service, he retired from the Claiborne County Fire Department as fire chief/coordinator. He was a member of Magnolia M.B. Church, where he had served as a deacon, treasurer, bus driver and overseer of the grounds.

He was a member of Port Gibson Lodge No. 21 of the Masons and the NAACP. He was a former owner of Gray’s South Mobile Home Court and was owner and operator of Gray’s Dollar Store Boutique and R.V. Park.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Jr. and Alice Leasy-Gray; a son, Chester Lee Hedrick; and a daughter, Bobbie Jones-Adkisson.

Survivors include his wife, Janice Gray of Port Gibson; two sons, Jarrett Gray of Jonesborough, Ga., and Jermarcus Hunter of Jacksonville, Fla.; five daughters, Jeanette Brandon of Acworth, Ga., Alice Faye Wade of Grand Prairie, Texas, Diann Hedrick and Mary Curry, both of Port Gibson, and Patricia Hedrick of Garland, Texas; a sister, Edna H. Garner of Dallas; other relatives and friends, including Cleo Dotson of Port Gibson.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Magnolia M.B. Church with the Rev. Hugh Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Mercy Seat Cemetery with Thompson Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Visitation will be today from 1 until 5 and Friday from 1 until 6 p.m. with the family hour from 6 until 7 at the funeral home and Saturday at the church from 10 a.m. until the service.